


Learned To Drown Young

by TheFlirtMeister



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, I Don't Even Know, Nightmares, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 12:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11898042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFlirtMeister/pseuds/TheFlirtMeister
Summary: “I missed you.” Sansa says.“No you didn't.” Arya replies. “You never liked me.”“I love you.” Sansa says. “That doesn't mean I have to like you.”





	Learned To Drown Young

**Author's Note:**

> ?????????????
> 
> i dont even watch got

Sansa lies to everyone afterwards, that she didn't know why she went to her sister's room in the dead of night. She pretended that it was the first room she came across, that Arya's door was slightly open, so she crept inside. When she tells Jon this, Arya snorts from across the room, and Bran looks at her with weary eyes, and Sansa wonders why she doesn't want to admit that she went to Arya because she was frightened.

The nightmares had taken her suddenly that night, dragging her down into the belly of the castle, where Joffrey, and Ramsay and Littlefinger waited. She woke screaming, sweating, with phantom scratches all over her body.

She was out of bed before she even realised, forgetting even her robe to cover herself. She crosses the hall, the cruel wind stinging the tears on her cheeks, and throws open the door to Arya's room. There's an awful moment where she thinks nobody is there, and then there's the coldness of a blade at her throat, and Arya's eyes peering at her like a cat before it kills.

“Oh.” Arya says, and she sounds disappointed. “It's you.”

Sansa reaches out, even though it hurts to move with the dagger kissing her skin, and pulls Arya close. Arya goes, unwilling, and Sansa wraps her arms around her baby sister. They stand there for a moment, in a facade of a hug, before Arya moves away.

“What are you doing?” She asks.

“I had a bad dream.” Sansa replies, because she's too tired to play games. “Can I sleep here?”

Arya snorts. “Why?” She asks.

“Because you're brave.” Sansa says. “And I trust you.”

Arya studies her. There are dark circles around her eyes. She can't be sleeping well, or at all. The old Sansa wouldn't have worried about it, only noted that the circles ruin Arya's already pockmarked complexion.

The current Sansa reaches out and cups her sister's face in her palm. “You don't have to sleep.” She says, “I can just- I will just lay in your bed, and you can skulk, or list all the people you want to kill.”

The corner of Arya's mouth twitches. “Is that so?”

“Yes.” Sansa says, and Arya looks her up and down.

“Get into bed.” She says bluntly, “You'll freeze.”

Sansa doesn't need to be told twice. She clambers into Arya's bed, which is just as cold as the outside, and pulls the furs around her. Arya studies her all the while, and then rolls her eyes, throwing her dagger into the door where it sticks firm.

“You're good at that.” Sansa says.

“I'm good at lots of things.” Arya says, and Sansa knows she's bragging.

“You'll have to teach me.” She says, instead of making fun. “I'd like that.”

“Brienne is teaching me to fight properly.” Arya says, “I wish she was my sister.”

It's cruel. It hurts. Sansa doesn't know what to say.

“I wish she had been.” She says finally. “She would have looked after you.”

“I don't need looking after.” Arya says, pulling the dagger from the door, and twirling it about her fingers. “I can handle things myself.”

“I know.” Sansa says. “Can you do any tricks?”

“What?” Arya asks.

Sansa nods towards the dagger. “Can you do any tricks?” She repeats, and Arya looks down at the dagger before tossing it in the air.

Sansa holds her breath as it comes back down, but Arya catches it one handed, and then flips it back up into the air. This time she steps forward, and catches it behind her back and then neatly tosses it to the other hand.

Sansa claps politely. “You could be in a travelling fair.”

“I don't want to be in a travelling fair.” Arya says.

“No. You just want to kill people.”

“Exactly.” Arya says, and smirks. She throws the dagger up in the air again, and catches it with her left hand.

“I missed you.” Sansa says.

“No you didn't.” Arya replies. “You never liked me.”

“I love you.” Sansa says. “That doesn't mean I have to like you.”

There's a pause. Arya cocks her head to one side, and then seemingly relaxes.

“The truth.” She says, “Finally.”

Sansa shivers. Arya sighs, as if Sansa is an idiot. She supposes that she is.

“Here,” Arya says, “Move over.”

Sansa moves up in the bed, and Arya clambers in beside her. She's still wearing her day clothes, and Sansa is almost surprised she doesn't go to bed with her shoes on.

“Is it true you killed Ramsay Snow?” Arya asks, not looking at her.

“I set his hounds on him.” Sansa replies, and Arya leans against her.

“Good.” She says. “Did he scream?”

“Yes.”

“Did he beg for mercy?”

“Yes.”

“Did you give it to him?”

“No.” Sansa says coolly, and Arya laughs. It's a dirty laugh, and Sansa quite enjoys it.

“Good.” Arya says. “I'm glad.”

“Me too.” Sansa says, and wishes she could wrap her arms around Arya.

“I wish you'd killed Joffrey.” Arya muses. “I would have been so proud of you.”

“Sorry.” Sansa says, “I did watch him turn purple and bloody though.”

“I suppose that's just as good.” Arya says.

There's silence for a long time. Sansa breathes in the musty smell of Arya, and finds that she enjoys it.

“You can sleep if you like.” Arya says.

“Please.” Sansa says, and Arya looks at her.

“I'll protect you.” She says firmly, and Sansa blinks at her.

“Thank you.” She says, and settles down into the bed, rolling over onto her side so that she's facing Arya.

“It's what sisters do.” Arya says, and lightly touches Sansa's hair. Sansa leans into the touch, letting her eyes flutter close.

When she dreams, she dreams of Arya's smile, and wolf pups play fighting.

 


End file.
